King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled him on the pole he set up. Now write another decree in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”
At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language. Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king. The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies. The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.

Supporting verse:
Isaiah 29:16
You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”?

In finally dealing with the issue of those who planned to kill and plunder the Jews, the king gave Mordecai his signet ring to fashion a law as seemed best to him. In the laws of the Persians and Medes, once an official edict from the king was made, it could not be revoked I am told. And so they could not just repeal the law. Instead, they let the Jews arm themselves and ordained the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. This was the same day that Haman had said the enemies of the Jews could attack and plunder them. And since Haman was killed and Mordecai was now in charge, these enemies were on the run.

So now the playing field was leveled or, even better, set in the Jews favor with Esther and Mordecai in charge. The king’s trust was completely in Mordecai’s capable hands. Esther was closer to the king than ever, and their people were safe.

God had caused a massive turnaround of fate to happen for the Jews, Esther and Mordecai. And he promises to do this for us too if we wait on him and act in sync with his plan and his timing. One of my life verses is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

In order to practice this verse in life, I have found I must remind myself daily that God’s understanding is greater than mine, pray and seek out his ways, and sacrifice and submit my rights, thoughts, frustrations, anger, bitterness, disappointment, and all of the things I hold dear (family, friends, reputation, assets, income, promises, career, causes, etc.). I must lay all of these people and things at the feet of Jesus, and realize that I am but clay in the Potter’s hands. The clay does not tell the potter how to form it, for what purpose or action. No! The Potter makes out of the clay that which best pleases him.

Esther and Mordecai trusted God first, they submitted to him, and allowed him to straighten out their paths. Lord, I will do the same. I will trust you and let you straighten out my paths too. You have redeemed and rescued me. You have set me apart and made me pure in your sight through the precious blood of Jesus. And you are so faithful and bring me so much joy and peace. It is the least I can do to trust you more!